Apparatus for producing illusory dramatic effects



(NoModeL) J. W. KNELL.

APPARATUS FOR. PRODUCING ILLUSORY DRAMATIC EFFECTS. No. 286,709.Patented 001:. 16, 1883.

W W 7 TS NxW MM WV I M M KM N, PEYERS. PhMn-likhcgmpher, Washington n.c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES w. KNELL, oE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ILLUSORY DRAMATIC EFFECTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,709, dated October16, 1883.

Application filed April 30, 1883.

T 0 rtZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES XV. KN LL, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Producing Illusory Dramatic Effects; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, whereby a person skilled in the art can make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying.drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon.

Like letters in the figures indicate the same parts. I

- Figure 1 is a top view of my improvement as applied to one endlesspath. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of myimprovements as applied to two of the paths.

My improvements relate particularly to the invention described andclaimed in my patent of April 4, 1882, No. 256,007 and it consists ofthe devices andmeans for determining the position upon the endlesspatlnshown and described in my said patent of a horse or other movinganimal.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter a denotes an endless belt orpath-such, in general, as is used in horse-powers-made sufficientlystrong to bear the weight that is designed to be put upon it, and hungin a suitable frame placed upon or secured below the level of thestage-floor. I

The letter I) denotes a windlass of ordinary construction, mounted in asuitable stand adapted to be firmly fixed in a position in line with theendless path, having the wheel 0, provided with handles or similar meansfor turning the Windlass.

To a suitable point, as the saddle-girth d or other harness part adaptedto be secured to a horse or other moving object, is fastened the rope orwire 6, the other end of which is wound about the windlass.

The brake'f, 'of any ordinary form, is secured to the stage-floor insuch position that it may be used to control the revolution of the rollsupon which the endless path travels, as by depressing the outer end ofthe pivoted lever g, whose inner end bears upon the periphery of theroll a.

The operation of my .device is as follows: The horse, attached to theWindlass by means of the wire, is placed upon the endless path, I 55.

as shown in Fig. 1, and started up. If the (No model.)

Windlass is clamped, the horse will remain fixed in reference to objectsupon the stage, and the endless path will travel beneath him;

.but if the windlass be allowed to turn, the

horse may be made to take any desired position upon the endless path,and I have found by experiment that he may be pulled back bodily to anypoSition-as to the end of the path nearest the, Windlass after he hasadvanced to the opposite end. In Fig. 3 I represent two such endlesspaths and windlasses appurtenant to each, and also show a panoramicscene 72 arranged back of the paths. of these devices all the incidentsof a horse-race may be simulated, the horses alternately gaining andlosing ground; and it is evident that my invention may be used torepresent the well-known circus performances upon a single horse-asbare-back riding and the like-or that races between animals other thanhorses may be also skillfullyv represented, and all this with or withoutthe aidof the moving panoramic scene described in my previous patent.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a stage apparatus of the within-describedclass, the combination of the endless path a, the windlass b, the saddleor saddlegirth d, or other harness part adapted to be secured to a horseor other moving object placed upon the path, and the wire 6, con-'necting said windlass and harness, and constructed to be extended andretracted, all substantially as described.

2. In a stage apparatus, thecombination of the moving panoramic scene hwith the end less path a, the Windlass b, the saddle-girth d, or otherharness part, and the wire 6, all substantially as described.

3. In a stage apparatus, the combination of the brake f with the endlesspath a, the saddle-girth d, or other harness part, the Windlass b, andthe wire 6, all substantially as described.

JAMES IV. KNELL.

WVitn esses Tnos. F. REID, RIGHD. O. GREEN.

By means IOO

